


Narciscus

by AuthorReinvented



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: AU, Alfred - Freeform, Angst, Arthur - Freeform, Death, Doppelganger, Falling In Love, Human Names Used, Hurt, M/M, Magic, Mystic, Supernatural - Freeform, mathew - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-06
Updated: 2021-01-06
Packaged: 2021-03-17 00:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 6,843
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28591350
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorReinvented/pseuds/AuthorReinvented
Summary: "In this whole universe, there is one person you should never meet"Alfred Jones meets a man who could be his twin.Mathew Williams meet the one person he never should meet. Alfred is falling in love. Mathew Williams is hiding a dark secret that is certain to end in death.A love story that should never happen, destined for tragedy.
Relationships: America/Canada (Hetalia)
Kudos: 16





	1. Prologue

"In this whole universe" The tattered book reads, "There is only one person who you should never meet, no matter what." The man doesnt read the last line in the paragraph. He already knows what it says from the multiple times he has read it before. "Because if you meet that person," the book warns, 

" **You will die**."


	2. Happenstance

The man confidently crossing the street might seem inconspicuous at first glance, just another face to many. To the man timidly standing in line at the local coffee shop, the man crossing the street towards him means a lot, although the timid man knows nothing about the impending meeting.

The man standing in line at the coffee shop means nothing to the man crossing the street. But he will. Neither man knows what is about to happen. But that doesn't stop it.

The man crossing the street gets in line behind the timid man already there. He is a person behind the first and doesn't really notice him. The first man makes his order, and steps to the side, a single curl dangling distractly in front of his eyes. The man still in the line is impatiently tapping his foot, looking straight ahead. 

The man in front of the confident, yet impatient man makes his order and the timid man receives his, slightly uneasily, and turns to go.

The timid man is in a rush to leave, nervous, face tinged with the slightest stress lines. The confident man is in a rush to order, annoyance lining his eager face. Perhaps that is why they both surge forwards, looking without seeing.

They crash into each other, falling down in a tangle of limbs, and the timid man sacrifices his coffee, throwing it to the side so it doesn't burn the other man. They land, awkwardly, one half-trapping the other beneath him. 

For the first time each man sees the other, and both's hearts speed up at the sight of the other, each for different reasons. For the more confident man, it's because the man he pins beneath him is practically his twin, save for the difference in eye colour and the slight curl to the other's hair. 

For the more timid man, pinned beneath, it's because he has just met the one person in the whole universe, who, no matter what, he _must not_ meet.

For a moment, neither man moves.

Then the whole universe starts to move.


	3. Beginning

"How could this happen?" The timid man with the waving curl asks himself, tucking himself further back into his chair. The man across from him is more confident, eyes bright and curious.

"Alfred." He had introduced himself as, eyes gleaming. "Alfred Jones." Alfred leans across the table, closer to the other. "Mathew, right?" He asks, and the timider man nodds. That was what he had chosen to introduce himself as. "Mathew Williams." 

"You're sure you don't have any relation to me?" Alfred demands, squinting. "Crazy," He decides without waiting for the response, sitting back in his chair, "We look so similar." Mathew cringes. If he could go back in time and make it so he never met the other man, he would.

But time can't be changed. Mathew pretends not to hear Alfred's comment, staring resolutely out the glass window as though that will make the other man dissapear. Mathew is tense, wanting to escape, but his instincts tell him he has to stay, and finish the coffee Alfred bought him as an apology, that leaving would be rude.

But that doesn't change Matthew's desire to be anywhere but sitting across a tiny table from Alfred. 

For Alfred, it's an exciting opportunity, a possible friend, a new mystery he wants to find the answer to. He doesn't know what effect this simple meeting will have on his future, how this meeting will change him.

For Mathew, this meeting is a curse, a lingering hatred from a god that isn't his. Because Mathew knows what this meeting means, and he already knows how it will end. 

Alfred is drawn to the timid and nervous look on Matthew's face, so identical to his own. Mathew hates the open and eager look on Alfred's face. 

After all, this is the man he has to kill.


	4. Confliction

Alfred is excited. He has never seen someone so similar to him. It's the differences as well as the similarities that draw Alfred to Mathew. He notices Matthew's tense posture, blank eyes, and it occurs to him, dimly, that Mathew doesn't want to be there. 

But this is a once in a life time chance, and Alfred doesn't want to let it slip by. He says something, offhanded, and Mathew forgets himself and laughs, and Alfred notes the way his eyes wrinkle, his lips twitching as Mathew laughs out loud. Alfred wonders if he looks like that when he laughs. 

Too quickly, Mathew remembers something, and the laugh dies, and Mathew looks like he wants to take it back. But the wall has already crumbled, and Alfred has a load of jokes like that, and he unleashes them one by one to coax Mathew to laugh again. 

Mathew does laugh, and before he realizes what's going on, Alfred has Matthew's contact number and Mathew has his. When they go to finally part ways, Mathew is giving Alfred a conflicted look Alfred can't quite understand, and Alfred beams at him. Mathew settles for a nervous smile and bids his lookalike goodbye, disapearing with no sound other that the ring of the bell on the door.

Alfred is happy he met Mathew, and feels as though something big has changed, although he doesn't yet know what. He's right of course, something has changed, and Mathew, timidly rushing home to hide, knows what it is. Mathew knows what the meeting has set in motion, and is terrified of the job it assigned him. 

Mathew knows that if he wants to live, Alfred Jones must die. Mathew doesn't want to kill Alfred. Alfred has already decided that he won't let Mathew go, that such a meeting must be fate, and he intends to make Mathew his friend. Mathew hopes that If he avoids Alfred from now on, then the universe won't notice they met, and neither not him or Alfred will need to die.

Alfred is already typing his first text to the man who could be his twin.


	5. Foreboding

Mathew doesn't remember how it became normal for him and Alfred to be together, when he started to enjoy hearing the over-loud voice, when he started to brighten at Alfred's smile, his own lips tugging up to copy it, but he does know that it's normal for him now, normal for his face to light up when he sees Alfred coming, for his heart to speed up and his cheeks to flush at Alfred's words. Mathew has almost forgotten why he should never have met Alfred, he thinks that maybe to universe has forgiven him.

Alfred remembers every moment of getting closer to Mathew, how hard he worked to get the other man to loosen up, to accept him, he remembers the first time Mathew texted him first, it the first time Mathew has seemed to lose his tension and actually enjoy their time together. Alfred remembers every part. Alfred doesn't know why Mathew had been so tense around him, why Mathew had been so reluctant to be his friend, or the dark secret his new friend holds. He just knows that he wants to spend time with him and to laugh together. 

Alfred doesn't know that their meeting was not the start of a fairytale, but a tragedy. But just because Alfred doesn't know, won't stop it from happening, and already Mathew is beginning to experience the repercussions.

At first Mathew doesn't put two and two together, and only thinks he is clumsy and should pay more attention, then that he is unluckily. As the accidents continue to occur, Mathew begins to understand, but decides to pretend he doesn't, not wanting to face the truth. The accidents aren't dangerous, a slip of the knife while cutting bread, tripping over a grate when he steps off the curb. Most of the damage is small, easily bandaged or quick to heal.

Alfred, however, begins to worry, after seeing the cuts, scrapes and bruises begin to increase. "It's not normal." Alfred tells Mathew, concerned. "I think you might be cursed! Something is trying to hurt you!"

Alfred doesn't know how right he is.


	6. Assistance

Alfred shifts impatiently on the bed, waiting for his older brother's diagnosis. He knows that anything to do with magic or curses is his brother's field of expertise, and he doesn't doubt for a second that the older boy will fix it.

"Stop fidgeting!" His older brother snaps, irritated, slamming down the book he's studying. "I won't have an answer any faster even if you wiggle around!" "But Arthur," Alfred whines, "Mattie is danger!" His older brother Arthur registers the nickname and wonders to himself about the relationship between the mysterious "Mattie" and his baby brother. He tucks the question away for later, and addresses his books again.

He's been looking all morning for the cause of a curse that could cause someone to constantly have accidents and get injured, egged on by his brothers puppy eyes, but he is getting nowhere. Arthur isn't even sure it is a curse. Alfred swears that there is no way Mathew has an enemy, that he gets along with everyone. Mathew doesn't bear any signs of being cursed, no unfounded exhaustion, no feeling of a weight on his shoulders, no distractions or seeing things. 

As far as Arthur can tell, Mathew is just an ordinary person who happens to be clumsy, but Alfred isn't convinced. Alfred is staring at Arthur, trusting that he will have the answer, and be able to fix Mathew. Arthur groans with frustration. "I'll have to do a test." He decides, exasperated. He has almost everything to do the test, but he still requires one more thing, a strand of Matthew's hair. So he sends Alfred to retrieve it. 

Alfred is surprisingly fast. Mathew doesn't question it when Alfred asks, without context, for a strand of his hair, only quietly plucks one out and passes it to him. Alfred grins and squeezes Matthew's hand before rushing back home to deliver it to his brother. 

Mathew doubts that anyone can stop what is happening to him, but he still feels a little bit hopeful. 

After all, Mathew doesn't want to die.


	7. Escalation

The test results don't make sense. Arthur doesn't understand. Alfred swears that it was definitely Matthew's hair, not his, but the test is showing as though it was Alfred's hair. That's not the only thing though. The magic is wrong. Arthur tries to explain it to Alfred, but Alfred doesn't understand. "It's like if you took a picture with the negative effect on." he says, pacing nervously. "It's _wrong._ "

Alfred doesn't understand magic, he's only knows that things have been getting worse. He wants to ask Arthur for more information, what his words mean, but Arthur is pulling book after book from the shelf, and is already on the phone with a friend of his, who also studies magic. Alfred knows that is pointless to try to talk to Arthur now, and decides to go find Mathew.

Alfred doesn't really have a reason for it, he just wants to see him. He thinks he'll feel better if he holds Mathews hand, and he texts Mathew to meet him. Mathew is no longer able to hide from the truth, the accidents are getting bigger, more dangerous, and he remembers the words of a book he read before coming here.

"In this whole universe, there is only one person who you should never meet, no matter what." The book had warned. "Because if you meet him, you will die." Mathew knows Alfred is the person he never should have met, but he also knows that he wouldn't change meeting him for the world. He sees Alfred across the street and picks up his pace, heading for the crosswalk.

He tries not to think about another line in the book, that says how Mathew can survive. "If you meet this person" The book stated, "You must kill them." Mathew knows he never will kill Alfred Jones. Alfred Jones doesn't know what Mathew is keeping secret from him, and he he waves blissfully at Mathew from the other side of the street.

But Alfred's waving quickly turns frantic, and he is running towards Mathew, shouting something Mathew can't hear clearly. "-ve". Alfred's arm connects with Mathew, pulling him out of the way, only moments before the car smashes into the spot Mathew had been standing only moments before.

Alfred realizes that Mathew is going to die if the curse isn't lifted.


	8. Assessment

Mathew wilts under Arthur's hard stare, and Alfred reaches for his hand and squeezes it. Arthur doesn't miss the contact, or the light flush that graces both mens' cheeks at the touch. He decides to save the interogation for later though, and only introduces himself. "Nice to meet you, Mathew, I'm Arthur, Alfred's older brother." 

Mathew murmurs a greeting in response, though his exact words get lost in his quiet tone as he takes the offered hand to shake it. Mathew can't quite shake the feeling he's being appraised and it's making him nervous. He's right, of course, Arthur is appraising him, and it takes all of Arthur's will power not the jerk his hand away when when their hands meet.

Something about Matthew's aura, his magical makeup, feels wrong. Arthur can't explain it, but if he were to try, he might use the word "discordant" or "impossible". At the very least, he knows Mathew is abnormal. Arthur shrugs it off. Alfred likes Mathew, and he's always been a good judge of character, so Arthur isn't worried.

He tells Mathew he's doing his best to dispel the curse, and Mathew nods silently. He looks a little shaken, but that makes sense as he was nearly hit by a car. Mathew is shaken for another reason, but Arthur doesn't know about what Mathew did, where he comes from. Mathew can tell by the quick change of expression on Arthur's face as they shook hands that Arthur can tell he's different. 

Arthur doesnt understand just how different Mathews is, although Mathew thinks that's for the best. Alfred sees Matthew's expression as fear because of the car accident, and pulls Mathew after him with intentions of distracting the timid man from what had happened. He tells Arthur that they're going to his room, and Arthur has enough presence of mind to shout after him "Keep the door open!"

Alfred pretends he doesn't hear that and closes the door behind the two.


	9. Development

Alfred doesn't have anything more than innocent intentions on his mind as he pulls Mathew into his room. Mathew has too much on his mind, is too concerned to have any dirty thoughts. But despite that, Alfred finds his eyes flicking over Matthew's harried form, chasing the fingers ruffling through his hair down into fists at his side. Mathew is unaware of Alfred's gaze, pacing back and forth.

Alfred finds himself thinking that he would like to kiss Mathew. So he does. Mathew doesn't know where it came from, only that one moment he is pacing, the next he turns and comes face to face with Alfred. He is barely aware that the kiss is happening before its over, and almost against himself he makes a whine of complaint.

Alfred meets Matthew's blue eyes, noting the hint of violet in their colour, and he smiles at Mathew, almost timidly. Mathew thinks that he should say something, but instead he moves closer to Alfred, wanting more, and their lips connect again. Mathew forgets everything on his mind, focusing on the feel of Alfred's mouth against his. Alfred is taken aback by the new, more forceful Mathew.

Mathew nibbles at Alfred's lip, asking permission for something more, and Alfred give it to him, and the kiss becomes deeper, more intimate. Alfred is the first to pull back, gasping. Mathew is past regretting. He moves with a desperation, but every touch is still gentle, as though his every contact with Alfred may be his last. And it might be, but Alfred doesn't know, he only leans into the embrace, and suddenly they're falling, a tangle of limbs, and they land softly on the bed.

They connect, and for the first time both feel as though this is right. This is how it's meant to be. Not two separate persons, but just one. Alfred's clumsy hands pull Mathew closer, with the intent to never let go, and Mathew gives in to the feeling. Neither man is worried about tomorrow. There is only the here and now.


	10. Blunder

Arthur can't keep his eyes off the pair. There's a closeness between the two of them that sets him on edge, though he can't quite say why. Is it the obvious flirting? The way Alfred reaches for Mathews hands, a flush dusting his cheeks? Is it the way that Mathew responds, curling his hand into Alfred's, leaning in a bit to close? Maybe it's the kisses they sneak when they think he isn't watching. Alfred saunters off to get something, and Mathew and Arthur are alone.

Arthur watches as Mathew deflates. Arthur is sure that something is wrong with Mathew, his quiet, expectant eyes, like someone waiting to die. Arthur wonders if Mathew is sick, and hiding it. He tries to probe for answers, but more questions he asks, the less he learns. "Where are you from?" He asks. Mathew shrugs, looking uncomfortable. "Around. I've lived in a lot of places." Eventually he admits he was born in a small town in Canada, but Arthur can't shake the feeling that Mathew is hiding something. 

He asks about family, and learns Mathew had an older brother, a couple younger siblings too. "Where are they now?" "Gone." Matthew's words are clipped, his discomfort is obvious now, and Arthur knows he's hiding something, and its more than not wanting to speak about his family. Arthur knows he's being insensitive, but he probes further for more questions. He keeps them light. What movies does he like? Mathew murmurs that he doesn't watch a lot of movies. What does he do for fun? Mathew says that being with Alfred is fun, but the way he says it makes Arthur wonder if he never did anything for fun before.

Eventually Mathew relaxes, and he chats more openly with Arthur, letting his guard down. Alfred still isn't back, and Arthur knows he's giving them space to get to know eachother. Then, Mathew slips up, though he doesn't know it. He mentions that Alfred is the person he loves the most, in all the universes. The sweet love confession almost covers his mistake, but not quite, and Arthur notices the plural.

The threads of Matthew's lies begin to unravel.


	11. Realization

Arthur is being strange, and is studying with a new fervor to find a cure for Matthew's situation, but he won't tell Alfred anything. Occasionally he asks Alfred questions, like "When did you first meet Mathew?" and "When did the injuries start?" Alfred hears the correlation between the two as he gives the timelines, but refuses to accept it. Arthur asks Alfred to tell him everything he knows about Mathew, and Alfred is all too happy to, going into detail a bit too much.

Alfred mentions that just being with Mathew makes him feel "out of this world" and he doesn't miss the way Arthur flinches at those words, though Arthur refuses to explain. Alfred abandons Arthur to his work, and seeks out Mathew. None of the three can put a reason to it, but they can all feel that something is coming to an end. Mathew is cautious while he's walking, beware of any sort of accidents. Since the car had nearly hit him he has already nearly been trapped in a burning building, fallen through some rotten stairs, and been mugged and almost stabbed in a back alley.

He worries that next time something happens, Alfred won't be there to save him. His worries melt away, temporarily forgotten, when he sees Alfred waiting for him, a smile already growing on his face. Alfred grins in response, nearly trembling with the urge to hold Mathew. When they meet, Alfred takes Matthew's hand and Mathew curls his fingers around his, and for a moment, everything feels right with the universe.

But nothing is right. Arthur finds the information he is looking for and freezes. "Oh." Arthur breathes, his eyes going wide. He flips the page and quickly scans through the contents, growing more and more horrified. "Oh" He says again, this time with a more desperate note. " _No_." Arthur knows Matthew's secret, and the sky is about to come crashing down.

Arthur realizes that his brother is in danger.


	12. Destruction

To Alfred and Mathew, laying entwined together on the couch, the world is perfect. Mathew is running his hands through his hair, and Alfred leans into the touch. Neither thinks of what happens next, only focusing on the here and now, the feel of eachother's hands and skin. To Mathew and Alfred, the world is perfect.

To Arthur, briskly speedwalking to Matthew's house, the world is about to end. He isn't thinking of the present, barely focusing on what he's doing. He's thinking of a future and is worried that it might not have his brother in it. Arthur thinks that Alfred is standing at the brink of devastation.

He's right. 

Something was set in motion when the two men met, and has been in motion for a while now. Now its rolling to a stop. A car drives by the couple's location, seemingly unrelated. But the man driving the car is driving a bit too recklessly, a bit too fast. He bumps the curb, and the car thumps. The driver, one drink too much, thinks nothing of it. The car is an old car, abused by many drives of this type. The bump sets off a sequence of events, metal brushes metal, and something comes loose.

The car serves, then slams into a wooden post for a street lamp nearby, denting the side of the car and damaging the tire. The driver of the car regains control and speeds off, fearful of the law catching him.

Arthur is dialling his phone, and the half-asleep Alfred reaches to answer, casually. The streetlamp the car hit is old, the pole rotted slightly. Matthew's neighbourhood is on the worse side of town, more neglected. The streetlamp should have been replaced years ago, but even so, is still somewhat sturdy. If it was hit from any other angle, perhaps on a different day, when it wasn't softer than normal from the heavy rain the day before, or hit lighter, things may have been different.

Alfred picks up the phone and murmurs to Mathew, "It's Arthur. The world is conspiring against me." He's wrong. The world isn't against _him._ Mathew chuckles, obliviously. The lamps post begins to lean towards the run down house, its weight pulling it down further.

Arthur tells Alfred to get far away from Mathew. "It's dangerous!" He warns desperately. Alfred thinks he understands, twisting off the couch and hurriedly dressing in his discarded clothes. Mathew sits bolt upright, feeling the urgency Alfred gives off.

"We have to get out of here." Alfred tells him urgently, and Mathew slips to his feet and dresses himself as well. Alfred hasn't turned his phone off, and Arthur asks for an update. Alfred hauls Mathew out of the house with him, acting on an instinct and trust in his brother. Alfred tells Arthur that he and Mathew are in the back yard, he wants to know what's going on.

Arthur tells him that he needs to get away from Mathew, he begs Alfred to trust him. Alfred thinks he does, he thinks he's doing it right, but Arthur knows that Alfred's trust in him is matched only by his trust in Mathew. Arthur knows that Mathew is going to kill Alfred.

He hopes he isn't too late as he rounds the corner, and Alfred thinks he's already safe. Mathew is on high alert, and he notices it first. Alfred follows Matthew's wide - eyed stare to the leaning post, and both hear the loud wet snapping noise it makes.

Before their eyes, the post falls, and Matthew's house and his few belongings are crushed before his eyes.


	13. Confrontation

Arthur hears the sound of the house being crushed and breaks into a run. Alfred pulls Mathew over the fence in the back and they make their way across the overgrown lawn of the unoccupied house next door. Alfred and Mathew make it to the front of the house at the same time as Arthur.

In another neighbourhood, or at another time, this accident would have drawn police, ambulances and firetrucks. But Matthew's neighbourhood is empty, and no one hears the sound, police and rescue are somewhere else, dealing with a gas leak, as though all the coincedences in the universe came together to create this moment. But it's not a coincidence that leaves Mathew and his lover to face Arthur in the deserted neighborhood in front of his ruined house.

It's something much greater. Arthur is the first to speak, terrified. "Alfred, why are you with him? Get away!" He demands. Alfred is shaken and confused. "It's alright, Artie, the danger's passed!" He insists, gesturing to the house. He's wrong. The danger is only going to get worse, and Mathew knows it in his heart. "Why can't you understand?" Arthur cries, tears edging his eyes."It's him who's dangerous!"

Alfred scoffs. "Mattie? Only because he's a magnet for disaster." He responds, a protective line in his tone. Mathew figures out what Arthur knows, and his eyes go wide. He put his hands halfway up, and though the motion will deflect Arthur's words. It doesn't, and Arthur's words will cause Matthew's death, although he doesn't know it.

"He's going to kill you, Alfred!" Alfred freezes, not able to understand and Matthew's tongue unsticks from the top of his mouth. "No! That's not true! I would never hurt Alfred!" He argues, half babbling, and Alfred steps protectively in front on him. "Listen Arthur, I don't know what you think, but it's wrong." He says. "You're confused."

Arthur deflects his words with a question of his own, simple but destructive.

"How can you say that when you don't even know what he is?"


	14. Accusation

The world seems frozen, but it's not. Not for Arthur, not for Alfred, and never for Mathew. "What do you mean?" Alfred asks Arthur for clarification, not missing the "What" in the place of the "who". But Arthur is staring at Mathew. "Will you tell him, or shall I?" he asks. Matthew's tongue turns to lead and he can't find the words to speak.

"Mattie, what's going on?" Alfred demands. "Al, I.." Mathew tries to respond but the words won't come out. Arthur speaks for him. "Do you know anything about him?" Arthur challenges. "Where in Canada was he born? What are his sibling's names? When did he move to America?" He shoots the questions at Alfred like bullets, and Alfred looks affronted.

"Of course I know!" He challenges. "He was born In New Prussia, Ontario!" He responds confidently, meeting his brother's eyes evenly. "His oldest brother was Francis Bonnefay. He moved to America 5 years ago." Mathew finches, and Alfred doesn't notice, though Arthur does.

"New Prussia is a ghost town!" Arthur snaps back. "It has been for decades. There's nothing there and hasn't been since long before he was born." Alfred falters. He glances to Mathew for reassurance, but Mathew won't meet his eyes. "Francis Bonnefay, his older brother, doesn't exist!" Arthur shoots back. "There's no record of Mathew or anyone related to him at all! There's nothing from before this year!" Alfred scowled, but less certainly. "You can't prove that!"

Arthur ignores him. "It's as though he just popped into existance in America last year." Mathew tries to disappear, his shoulders curling down and he appears to grow smaller before their eyes. "But that's impossible." Arthur doesn't take his eyes off Mathew. Alfred doesn't take his eyes off Arthur. "Or is it?" Arthur presses. "You said it yourself, Alfred. That Mathew is 'out of this world'." 

Alfred, Stubborn to the end, refuses to understand. Mathew decides to finally tell the truth.

"It's my fault." he admits.


	15. Confession

Alfred doesn't understand. 

"The accidents are my fault." Mathew admits. "The fire, the car crash, this." He gestures to the ruins of his home. "How?" Alfred is pitifully willing to understand, if Mathew will only explain. "I shouldn't be here." Mathew confesses. "This universe knows it and is trying to set it right." this time, Alfred catches it. " _This_ universe?" he echoes.

Mathew goes mute again and Arthur takes over. "Didn't you think it's strange?" He challenges. "You look like twins but are not remotely related?" Alfred nods slowly. "Yeah. So?" "I'm you." Mathew blurts out, not wanting to hear Arthur say it. 

"What?" Alfred asks and the universemmakes less sense than it did before. "I'm you, from another world." Mathew explains guiltily. "A doppelganger." Arthur supplies. "Another world?" Alfred's eyes light up. "Like an alien?" Despite himself, Mathew smiles at the eagerness in Alfred's tone. "Like another universe." 

"Why did you come here?" Arthur growls mistrustingly. Mathew studied his feet. "My world was dying. I didn't have any other choice." Arthur is growing irritated. "No, why did you come _here?_ To America? Why did you find Alfred?" "I didn't mean too." Mathew whispers. "I was trying to avoid him. I didn't know this world's me would live in America." 

Alfred is reeling with this new information. "Besides, c Mathew adds under his breath," I won't be here much longer." Alfred comes to a realization, and whips around to Mathew. "Are you going to leave?" He demands, and Matthew's wide eyes soften. "I can't. I have nowhere to go." 

"He's going to kill you and take your place." Arthur states coldly, grabbing Alfred by the arm and pulling him away from Mathew. 

"That's not true!" Mathew cries out, but Arthur remains impassive. He reaches for something in his bag, and Mathew knows his time in this world is drawing to a close.


	16. Conclusion

Arthur pulls an old book with a worn cover out of his satchel and flips to a marked page and reads it out loud. 

"In this whole universe there is only one person who you should never meet, no matter what, because if you meet that person, you will die." Mathew cringes like a whipped puppy. Arthur continues ruthlessly. "There cannot be more than one "you" in the world. If neither meets, the universe may not realize it. But once you meet, the universe will do everything it can to put things right, and kill off the intruder. " 

Alfred gasps, finally understanding what Mathew had tried to explain. The universe itself was trying to kill him. Alfred tries to move closer to Mathew, but Arthur blocks him, meeting his younger brother's eyes as he reads. 

"If you do meet your doppelganger, you must kill them before the universe kills you. There cannot be more than one "You" in the universe. This is the only way to survive." Matthew is shaking. "That's... I would never!"

Arthur has a question he means to use to uncover Matthew's true intentions. "Can you promise me, right here and now, that you have never once thought about killing him and taking his place?" 

Mathew stops shaking. He has confidence in his answer to this question. 

"Never." 

Matthew's gaze is calm, and his voice unwavering. All three know he's honest. Alfred realizes what this means, and struggles against Arthur. "But you'll die, Mattie!" 

Mathew ignores this comment and the desperation on Alfred's face. He can already see the countdown for his life begin to start, and he has something to say. He blurts out his feelings, honest and raw, to Alfred. 

"At first I never meant to meet you. I thought I'd live my whole life separate from you." Tears are forming in his eyes, and Alfred is a mirror image of him. "I never thought-" Mathew chokes on his words, but continues. "I never thought I'd fall in love." The words should make Alfred happy, normally he would blissfully accept them, and return them. But at this time, Alfred hates the words for the sense of finality they bring. 

Something is ending, and all three know it. Their story is reaching a conclusion, and Alfred doesn't like the way it's ending. 

If Alfred hadn't found out, they could have continued together until Mathew meets his end naturally, but because of Arthur's words, Alfred knows. 

Mathew will never let Alfred die, even if it means losing his own life. 

But, Alfred too, will never let Mathew die either, even if he has to give up his life to save Mathew.

Mathew knows how the story ends, and his tears roll silently down his face.


	17. Tragedy

Mathew knows what he has to do. He reaches to the side, and his fingers find a long sharp piece of glass stuck in his fence. Something greater than coincidence has brought this weapon to him. Fate has come calling for Mathew, and laid out his path clearly. Mathew is ready to answer. 

Arthur sees the flash of the makeshift blade before Alfred does, and subconsciously tightens his arms to hold his brother back and keep him safe. Arthur still doesn't understand. 

Mathew will never kill Alfred. 

Alfred sees the blade of glass too, and his eyes widen in horror. He lunges against his brother's arms. "Mattie no!" There is something beyond terror in his tone, and Mathew knows that if Arthur wasn't holding Alfred back, Alfred would take his life to save Matthew's. Mathew can't let that happen. 

"I love you, Al." 

His words are met by a heartbroken scream, and the glass flashes against his neck. 

Then red.

Arthur's arms go weak, and Alfred is running, falling, hands reaching to Matthew's side, pulling him close. The glass clatters to his side, like a red stained-glass. And Alfred is crying, pleading, begging the universe to give him back, to grant Alfred this one boon.

But the universe is too quick to take Mathew, glad to put things right again. There are no final words, no choked gasp, no light in the eyes beind the cracked glasses. As quickly as his first meeting with Alfred had started, Mathew is gone.

Arthur is in a state of shock, finally understanding. He doesn't have time to process what's happening, their's a tone in Alfred's wail that terrifies him, hurts him, and Arthur remembers he's only an older brother, and his baby brother is crying in front of him. He doesn't have time to feel guilt. He needs to act. 

Alfred doesn't feel Arthur's arms, awkwardly holding him, but he hears the words Arthur murmurs into his back, the only solace Arthur can offer. "He did it for you." Arthur knows his words bring no comfort, but says them anyways. To Arthur, this is the only condolence he can offer, the only acceptable reason for the tragedy. There's a shocking feel of calm in the universe, like some great wrong had been corrected.

To Alfred, his universe has never felt less right, and there is nothing worth the price he paid.


	18. Cateclysm

"If he didn't die, you would. He did it to save you." Arthur can't remember how many times he's repeated the words, a mantra to himself now, no longer aimed at Alfred. Alfred doesn't know how many times he's heard those words meaningless and empty. Arthur's words are not shooting to Alfred. He never wanted to be saved. 

Alfred still hold's Matthew's hand in his own, his forehead tipped to touch the pale lifeless one. To him it feels like only seconds have passed. It's been hours. Matthew's hand are cold and stiff. Alfred feels just as stiff. He doesn't want to live in a world without Mathew.

" He did it to save you." Arthur's words register with Alfred for the first time as he comes to a realization, and Alfred is reaching around Mathew, hands closing around the glass weapon. Arthur is in shock, though he doesn't realize it, teeth chattering, his hands long since fallen from Alfred's back. 

He doesn't see Alfred's movements. Arthur doesn't see anything that is happening. "If he didn't die, you would." 

Alfred is accepying something he knows Mathew wouldn't like if he was here. But Mathew isn't there, not really. Alfred responds to Arthur's chant, speaking for the first time. "But there's something you don't understand." 

Arthur is slow to realize, the words not registering in his brain. Alfred notices that Matthew's lips have a slight upturn to them, as though he knows Alfred is still with him. Alfred knows that he will not leave Mathew. He doesn't take his eyes off Mathew.

"We're the same." He tells Arthur, and Arthur tries to register the words. His brother needs his attention, and he is determined to give it. Still, Arthur's brain moves slugishly. 

"I am him." Alfred continues. "He is me." A feeling of fear dawns on Arthur and he begins to understand. He turns to Alfred, reaching for him. Alfred dodges the grasp.

Arthur sees the glass. 

There's a beat, a millisecond of panic for Arthur, à moment of clarity for Alfred. 

"I can't live without him." 

"Alfred no!"

The glass flashes again, and for the second time, is stained with red. Alfred is bleeding from the neck, choking, gurgling. There's a siren in the distance. Arthur tries to stem the flow. His hands feel like carved stone, and he can't feel the warmth of the red river he tries to block. Arthur can't stop it.

Alfred blacks out.


	19. Epilouge

There's a man standing in front of a gravestone. His thick blond hair and bushy eyebrows mark him as Arthur, Alfred's older brother, but he is a different man now. A respectful distance away, another red-headed man watches Arthur with concern. Anyone watching wouldn't have know the connection between the two, wouldn't see the similarities, but there is no one else there. The red-haired man is Arthur's last thread of sanity, a brother who is forcing him to move on, because he refuses to lose another sibling.

The gravestone Arthur stands in front of is no different than all the rest, grey and plain, even the names on it were not unusual. After all, "Alfred Jones" and "Mathew Williams" are pretty common names. One grave, two names. Somehow it feels like a spit in the face to Arthur, pathetically fitting, but that just makes the feeling worse.

Arthur doesn't cry. He can't anymore, he's cried all of his tears at Alfred's hospital bed, and then again at the funeral. He has no tears left. But Arthur has come with a purpose. He has a flower pot with a single flower stalk with two flowers growing from it in his hands. Arthur went to a lot of work to find this particular flower. 

He kneels to plant the flower in the soft dirt in front of the grave, prepared before hand for this trip. 

"A narciscus" He explains to the gravestone. His voice isn't as bold as it once was, layered with a tired tone, but it still holds love for his brother. Even for the brother from another world, that he hadn't been close enough to in this world. 

"It's named after the story of a man who loved himself so much that he died, staring at his own reflection." He considers this. "In one story he turns into a flower." 

He thinks that nothing suits his brother more. He's never met someone who fulfilled the description of narcissist as well As Alfred and Mathew. He doesn't think he ever will again. He's planted this flower as one last goodbye. He won't be coming back for a long time. 

The red-haired man is shifting impatiently, and Arthur pats the dirt around the flower one last time.

"I hope, wherever you are now, you're happy." 

The universe feels Stiller than before. Emptier. There's something missing now that should be here. Arthur doesn't want to think about it anymore. He answers the call of his older brother, and leaves the gravestone without looking back. 

There's nothing left behind but a gravestone with two names, and a the flower blowing in the breeze. 

Arthur will never tell his siblings the full story of the narcissistic lovers. Some sense of respect will keep them from asking. In another world, one that's dying, a lone and tattered book is blown by a dry wind and flips shut, as though signifying the end to the story. 

There's nothing left to tell. 


End file.
